Pinocchio's Revenge
follows Jennifer and Zoe. Jennifer's most recent client, a child
murderer, is put to death. On Zoe's birthday, Jennifer unwittingly
brings a Pinocchio puppet home -- the puppet belonged to the child murderer. Zoe, who's already distraught from losing
her father, grows attached. Zoe's behavior becomes more aggressive and
Jennifer eventually begins to question her daughter's well-being and the
puppet's influence. It leads to a well-executed climax and a decent
ending -- I liked the pinch of uncertainty.

Pinocchio's Revenge
is better than I could have ever imagined. It's far from perfect, but
compared to some of the b-movie crud I've recently watched, Pinocchio's
Revenge is decent. The film borrows quite a bit from Child's Play, but
ultimately becomes a film of its own. It's not especially frightening,
but it is certainly exciting and interesting. If you enjoy jump-scares,
this film has plenty. Unfortunately, the suspense is minimal.
Pinocchio's Revenge also has a surprising focus on character and
buildup, and the climax was very satisfying. The one negative that stuck
out like a sore thumb was Pinocchio's voice -- I actually chuckled when
I first heard it -- it wasn't scary! There are also some cheesy 90s scenes, like a bizarre (not graphic) sex scene with repeated editing as if that would make it feel more passionate.

The acting isn't half-bad.
Well, maybe it is half-bad. Rosalind Allen is mostly good. Brittany
Alyse Smith is hit-or-miss. Dick Beals felt like a miscast - his voice
work is strong, but far from frightening or creepy. I liked the
soundtrack, it has a solid theme. The film is shot well enough, at least
it didn't make my head hurt like certain films. Writer and director
Kevin S. Tenney crafts a decent horror film. Although it's not
particularly scary or even all that original, it ultimately works well
as a slasher. The focus on character and buildup was also much
appreciated.

Overall, Pinocchio's Revenge is a decent horror
film. Sure, Child's Play is easily the better killer doll film, but that
doesn't mean you cant enjoy Pinocchio's Revenge -- especially with the
right expectations or, better yet, none at all! Anyway, I genuinely
liked it. It has great buildup, decent character, a great climax, and a
good ending. It may not be frightening, but I enjoyed it. Worth a rental
or stream for open-minded horror fans and fans of Child's Play.

Score: 5/10
Parental Guide: Some strong violence and blood, some sex and full nudity.